Isaac p



(No Model.)

I. F. WILLIAMS.

RUBBER BOOT 0B. SHOE. y N0.294,173. l Patnted Feb. 26, 18.84.

` shoes with a fabric having a complex surface,

trici-3..

,ArtNr ISAAC F. VILLIAMS, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

RUBBER BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ot' Letters Patent No. 294,173, datedFebruary 26, 1884.

- Application filed June :24, 1882. (No model.)

To L'ZZ wwnt t may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac F. VILLIAMs, of Bristol, in the county ofBristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new andusefulImprovements in Rubber Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing specification, taken in connection with .the drawingsfurnished and forming a part viz., either with the inner or face surfaceof said fabrics in its natural fibrous condition, or coated with gumcompound and vulcanized. The brous or natural surfaced lining isdesirable, because of its warmth and its comfortable effect when wornwithout stockings; but such linings have been deemed objectionable b vmany, onv account of continued absorption of perspiration, and theirliability of becoming offensive, and because of the difficulties eX-perienced in drying out the interior should the boot or shoe get filledwith water from over its top, as is sometimes the case. Therubber-surtcedlining is also deemeddesirable, because it obviates theabsorption of perspiration, and enablesthe boot `or shoe to be readilycleansed and dried out when wet; but such linings are obviouslydeficient in that warmth and general comfort to the wearer which areincident to the fibrous-surfaced lining. Rubber boots have also beenlined at the rear portions thereof with rubber-surfaced lining and attheir front portions with fibroussurfaced lining, thus employing in oneboot both kinds of lining.

The object of my invention is to provide a lining which hassubstantially all o`f the advantages incident to the fibrous-surfacedlining, as well as such as are incident to the rubber-surfaced lining,andin doing this to reduce the disadvantages incident to each, as far asis believed to be possible, with a merging of these separate desirablecharacteristics. I attain this end by lining rubber boots and in thatsaid fabric has an inner face which is l partially in its normal fibrouscondition and partially rubber-surfaced.

To more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection of a rubber boot embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 arerespectively yfront and sectional views of a piece of one variety of mynovel'lining.

The sheeted fabric used by me may be woven, knit, or feltcd, it beingimmaterial in what manner the textile or felting ber is worked forproducing the same; nor is it material in what manner the rubber orcompounds thereof are applied to said sheeted fabric, provided that whenthe boot or shoe is :finished said lining fabric has a complex surface,partially in its naturalor fibrous condition and partiallyrubber-coated; but the rubber-surfaced portions should alternate withthe fibroussurfaced portions, and it is desirable that they shouldsubstantially correspond in area.

In the drawings I have selected for illustration one of the simplestvarieties of my complex -surfaced lining, in which textile fiber isworked into what is well known as ribbed sto'ckinet,77 its rear surface,a, being fiat or smooth and its front surface ribbed, as at b, withintervening recessed spaces, c. The rubber compound is applied to therear surface by the well-known process of machining,77 in suchquantities and with such `press- Vure as causes said compound tothoroughly coat the rear surface,and to .be forced through the frontsurface at the spaces c without permeating the raised ribs b, so thatwhen such coated fabric as a lining is combined, as usual, with theother portions of the boot or shoe and vulcanized, the raised portionsof the inner face of the liningwill be in their normal or fibrouscondition and the intermediate spaces will be occupied by rubbersmoothly surfaced.

A rubber boot or shoe thus lined has an interior fibrous surface forcontact with the stocking or foot, and it thereforeis warm andcomfortable to the wearer, and the rubber surface alternating with thefibrous surface prevents the undue absorption of perspiration andenables the fibrous ribs to readily dry Instead of the ribbed stockinet,it is obvif ous that a woven or felted fabric may be eniployed, itbeing* only requisite that the front surface tl1ereof,\vliich is to bethe lining surface of the boot, is provided with the rubberycoatedsurfaces, alternating` with the brous surfaces, and this can' readily beaccomplished in various ways; and, if desired, the

Y surface of the rubber coating may be raised above the fibrous surface;or said rubber surface may be flush with the intervening naturalsurfaceo'f the fabric, instead of. having said natural surfaces raised,as shown, although'I prefer the latter arrangement, whether said.natural surfaces be in the form of straight and parallel ribs or offigures in various designs. When parallel ribbed fabrics are employed,and the ribs thereof are arranged lengthwise with boot-legs and with thefeet 'of boots or shoes, it enables them to be readily put on @sans andtaken o'f'f, and if said ribs project considerably beyond the rubbersurfaces they contribute to more orA less ventilation of the boot orshoe while worn. I am. aware, however, that it is not new to employ aribbed having on its inner face fibrous surfaces, and

intervening rubber-coated surfaces, substantially as described.

2. In a rubber boot 0r shoe', a fibrouslining having upon its inner faceparallelraised ribs, and intermediate surfaces of rubber, substantiallyas described.

ISAAC F. IVILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

OZRo C. BARROWS, Gno. O. EDDY.

